BNP man in quit call over assault

| Tuesday, 15 February 2005 | Click here for original article

A BURNLEY British National Party councillor who assaulted his wife and a policeman has been called on to resign.

Brian Turner, of St Cuthbert Street, who represents Cliviger and Worsthorne, pleaded guilty to both charges at Burnley Magistrates�ECourt yesterday.

Today, Coun Gordon Birtwistle, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Burnley Borough Council, has demanded he resign immediately.

He said: "I'm horrified that anybody, no matter whether they are a councillor or not, would assault their wife.

"In my view, anybody who assaults a woman is a coward. I expect his resignation immediately.

"Anybody involved in assault, no matter what the circumstances, is not fit and proper to be a public servant."

Coun Turner, 42, was arrested on February 5 when police were called to his home after a domestic incident.

He was charged with assaulting his wife Melanie and a police officer, and pleaded guilty yesterday. A third charge of criminal damage was dropped.

He will appear at before the bench for sentencing on March 7.

The self-employed painter and decorator was elected to Burnley Council in May 2003 and is a member of the door supervisors appeals committee, the joint grading appeals substitute panel and the appeals committee substitute panel.

But BNP spokesman for the North West, David Jones, said the party would wait until Coun Turner is sentenced before deciding if disciplinary action will be taken.

He said: "The BNP is coming under such pressure that we are reluctant to take action against any of our members purely because they fall foul of the establishment.

"We have had Nick Griffin and John Tyndall taken into custody and their computers confiscated. We are not in the business of persecuting our members because the state considers someone guilty."

Burnley Council leader, Coun Stuart Caddy, and Conservative group leader, Coun Peter Doyle, declined to comment.

A spokesman for Burnley Council said: "Until Coun Turner has been sentenced it would be wholly inappropriate for the council to comment."

Coun Turner was unavailable for comment.